News

Fear plan will 'ruin' village

A MAJOR housing development will ruin “one of Somerset’s most beautiful villages”, according to angry residents.

A planning application has been lodged to build 55 homes in Wedmore, of which 24 will be affordable to help people get on the property ladder.

The plan also includes two access points for cars as well as a public open space and a recreation area for the land off The Lerburne in the village.

However the plans, submitted by Wedmore Parish Council, have sparked a stream of protests from villagers who say the nearby school is already full and that the scheme will have a huge negative impact on the look of the village.

The agricultural land for the proposed homes is owned by farmers HG Ticknell Ltd.
One villager, Annabel Richard-son, has sent in a letter of objection to planning authority Sedgemoor District Council.

She said: “The proposed land is a green field outside the development boundary – this will have an incredibly detrimental effect on the landscape.
“This is going to make one of Somerset’s most beautiful villages dangerous, noisy overcrowded and unsafe.”

Annabel added: “Please do not let it go through.”

Another objector, Patricia Ashford, said: “The increase in residents will exacerbate the problems of parking, schooling and medical care.

“Schools are full and waiting times to see a doctor are regrettably very long.

“Access to and from the site will be a hazard.”

However the parish council says, in its design and access statement to the district council, that although the land is currently open pasture, the development “will not be an undesirable extension into the open countryside”.

Some letters of support for the scheme have also been received, saying the housing provision is needed.

Members of Wedmore Parish Council have recently adopted the Housing Needs Assessment 2014 which was produced with Sedge-moor District Council.

This assessment has identified a current need for 14 affordable homes locally although this could rise to 22 homes, it says, in the near future.